What is inflammation?

Inflammation is your body's natural response to destroy or get rid of dangerous substances like allergens or bacteria. Sometimes, however, your body attacks itself, leading to different parts of your body becoming inflamed. This can affect your organs and bones and cause pain, swelling, and redness.

Inflammation, the buildup of fluid and cells at the point of infection, is put into motion by cytokines -- proteins that are released into the blood by the innate immune system when it encounters germs. Cytokines function like police dispatchers. They signal there's a problem, which activates the immune system's highway patrol force: the circulating lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system. These lymphocytes cruise the highways of the blood vessels and lymphatic system. In response to the chemical signal from the cytokines, increased blood flow rushes these circulating cells to the trouble spot. The unpleasant heat, pain, redness, and swelling you feel are indications that help is on its way. As long as it's not overly prolonged, inflammation is a good thing. But if an inflammatory reaction goes on too long, the reaction itself becomes a problem.

Inflammation is your body’s reaction to injury, infection, or irritation. Anyone who’s ever had a mosquito bite has seen inflammation in action. It’s the swelling, redness, heat, and pain where the mosquito has bitten you. And if you’re the type to scratch your mosquito bites, you know something else about inflammation: it tends to get worse quickly if you irritate the affected area.

Inflammation is a complex biological response by the body to harmful stimuli, including bacteria, viruses, fungus, irritants, and physical injury. Chronic inflammation can lead to a number of diseases, including arthritis.

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Inflammation is your body’s natural defense against dangers like bacteria, viruses, irritants, toxins and physical trauma. You usually feel inflammation as swelling, redness, heat and pain. When inflammation runs rampant, it can disrupt your immune system and lead to a variety of chronic diseases. Learn more about inflammation from our experts.